Macronutrients
Part 1- Protein
A Macronutrient is literally a type of food. There are three Macronutrients:-
-Protein
-Carbohydrate
– Fat
Each of these Macronutrients plays an important role in how the body functions and performs, therefore when training for a specific goal we need to make sure we are fulfilling the body’s nutrition requirements to meet the demands of these goals. Across the Media there are countless articles and posts with misinformation about nutrition, from what is the newest super food to what not to eat.A lot of the clients we see often don’t have much knowledge surrounding what their nutrition regime should look like (something in our opinion should be taught in Schools but that is another topic for another blog).
Most of the “Marco Myths” we see everyday come from misinformation in the papers, social media, word-of-mouth and various other distributors of popular diet fads. We will split the Macros into 3 articles and try to to dispel some of these myths and hopefully give you some clarity in how to structure your own Nutrition Regime to meet your own individual goals.
In this blog we are going to be looking at what protein guidelines we recommend and suggest for fat Loss.
Protein
Protein is a substance that has amino acids which are compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sometimes sulfur and is found in many foods. According to the British Nutrition Foundation the RNI (Reference Nutrient Intake) is set at 0.75g of protein per kilogram bodyweight per day in adults. This equates to approximately 56g/day and 45g/day for men and women aged 19-50 years respectively.
For us this number is not applicable for any of our clients as it doesn’t take training into consideration. Phil Learney aptly states in part of his Advanced Coaching Academy “There is an enormous amount of data out there regarding protein and the only real certainty we have it that the 0.8 g/kg recommended daily allowance probably needs considerable updating, as it’s primarily based on structural requirements and the prevention of deficiency as opposed to rectifying an excess of training based breakdown…”
Literature seems to support that athletic populations, and those seeking muscular adaptation should be looking at a baseline of 1.2–2.2 g/kg of body weight. The ISSN (International Society of Sports Nutrition) stance is that physically active individuals require 1.4–2.0 g/kg. Our recommendation and suggestion encompassing all current literature stands at 0.7g to 1.2g of Protein per lb of bodyweight.
Is protein important for fat loss?
Yes. Protein is crucial for three reasons: Growth & Repair, Satiation and High Thermic Effect of Food.
-Growth & Repair
Our clients at The Cut train hard and because of this their protein demands increase. Each session we want to have a higher level of frequency than the previous. This facilitates our fat loss goal to create a change in body composition and therefore our protein requirements are higher than your average person or RNI.
-Satiation
Simply the feeling of fullness. In order for any plan to be long term, satiety is crucial. Increasing your protein intake does this because of the effect of protein on the body. It sends messages to the brain regarding your body’s energy status, telling the body that it is satiated.
–High Thermic Effect of Food
The Thermic Effect of food relates to your metabolism which is increased after a meal as your body uses energy to digest these foods. The Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) for protein is higher than that of carbs or fats because the breaking down and digesting of protein require a higher amount of calories to be used.
Article written by Greg Burns